Gender Inclusive Learning Materials Promote Gender Equality in Teaching the

Grade Five Pupils of Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School

Researchers:

JOAN S. PADRIQUE MARIAN R. GARSOTA SHEIRLY A. DELABAJAN

STA. MARGARITA 1 DISTRICT

Concord : JOCELYN C. TABOGOC

School Head

I. CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

In a society that is slowly coming to terms with the acceptance of the LGBTQIA+

community, it is indispensable to teach younger generations about this new development

in recognizing everyone’s human rights. Through this, Gender inclusivity in education is

promoted to cater equality by safeguarding that all pupils will be treated fairly and with

respect. Schools that give importance to these values create an environment where all

pupils feel valued and supported, regardless of their gender or other factors.

Diversity and inclusion have become a critical topic in contemporary society.

Children engaging in story time with their family members and teachers can use stories

from picture books as an educational tool to illustrate various social settings which

provide a window into the wider outside world and a reflection of their own world, a

concept known as “mirror and window”. However, LGBTQIA+ representation has not

been consistently perceived equitably compared to the heterosexual population, often

dehumanized or unrealistic. Many LGBTQIA+ students mentioned the need to see more
portrayals of LGBTQIA+ families and increasingly positive and realistic portrayals of

LGBTQIA+ characters (Leung, E., & Whittaker, J., 2021)

According to Cruzada and Gutierrez (2022), one way that these new values can be

imparted onto them is believed to be through the educational system—specifically the

early educational system. However, in a country like the Philippines where many people

still do not fully accept the queer community, this idea encounters some hurdles.

Students whose exposure is restricted to heteronormative texts learn to encourage

gender stereotypes and police their peers who step outside the gender binaries (Blaise,

2009; Chapman, 2015; Davies & Saltmarsh, 2007). As Staley and Leonardi (2016, p.

212) state, “because curricula are largely heteronormative, students are rarely afforded

opportunities to engage with content that positively reflects queer identities and

experiences”. This means that without proactive and responsive teachers, or diverse

representation in literacy resources, classrooms can easily become spaces of exclusion for

gender-diverse children. Conversely, the research of Neimi (2016) highlights how

children become more accepting of diversity in society through exposure to diverse

people and families.

In Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School, Sta. Margarita I District, Sta.

Margarita, Samar. The researchers as well as other teachers notice that there are still

pupils who lack awareness on gender equality. There are still pupils who feel awkward

when it comes to topic on genders other than girls and boys. They also observed that

there are still no gender inclusive reading materials distributed by the Department of

Education. As regards to this, they conspired that there is a big possibility that gender
inclusive reading materials could help in spreading awareness among the pupils of Sta.

Margarita I Central Elementary School. Thus, the researchers decided to conduct an

action research to the grade five pupils of Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School.

II. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study seeks to understand the following questions:

a. What is the percentage of the grade five pupils who have knowledge on

gender equality?

b. Can gender inclusive reading materials promote gender equality among the

grade five pupils of Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School?

III. PROPOSED INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY

This study will use two different methods. The first method will be the assessment

of percentage of the respondents who have knowledge on gender equality and the second

method will be the facilitation of the gender inclusive learning materials to the

respondents. This will be done through three stages. First will be the pre- assessment of

percentage of the respondents who have knowledge on gender equality. Second will be

the facilitation of the gender inclusive learning materials to the respondents and last will

be the conduct of post test to determine if the materials will be effective to promote

gender equality among the respondents.

The percentage of the respondents who have knowledge on gender equality will

be identified through a modified questionnaire. The questionnaire has five questions

answerable by “yes or no”. If the respondent will answer yes to all of the questions, the

respondent has knowledge on gender equality. If the respondent will answer “one to four
yeses” it means that he has a little but not enough knowledge on gender equality. On the

other hand, if the respondent will answer “no” to all the five questions, the respondent

does not have knowledge on gender equality.

After identifying the percentage of the respondents who have knowledge on

gender equality, the researchers will be distributing three different gender inclusive

learning materials to each of the advisers of the respondents. The materials will be used

as a spring board to their lessons. It will be facilitated and processed by the advisers.

Then, the researchers will conduct the post assessment using the same instrument

that will be used to assess the percentage of the respondents who have knowledge on

gender equality. This will be done to evaluate the importance of gender inclusive reading

materials to promote gender equality among the grade five pupils of Sta. Margarita I

Central Elementary School.

The result of this study will be used to determine if gender inclusive learning

materials can be used to gradually promote gender equality among the elementary

learners of Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School. If proven effective, the

researchers will make a request to the District In-charge of Sta. Margarita I District to

create a team of writers, illustrators and evaluators to craft meaningful and effective

gender inclusive learning materials. These materials will also be proposed to integrate in

the daily lessons.

IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

a. Participants and/ or other Sources of Data and Information

 The respondents of this study are the grade five pupils of Sta. Margarita I

Central Elementary School, Sta. Margarita I District, Sta. Margarita, Samar.

This will focus on the promotion of gender equality by using gender inclusive

learning materials in teaching. The respondents will undergo pre and posttest

assessment using a modified questionnaire to assess the percentage of the

respondents who have knowledge on gender equality and three gender

inclusive learning materials will be facilitated to respondents.

b. Data Gathering Method

The data of this study will be attained through a modified questionnaire

from Virga, D. G. (1983). The researchers will give the questionnaire to the

grade five pupils in the sampling procedure. After giving ample time for

respondents to work with the questionnaire, the researchers will retrieve the

questionnaire and the responses will be tallied accordingly. The researchers

will use the complete enumeration sampling to achieve the purpose of this

research work because all of the grade five pupils will be counted as

respondents of this study.

Data collected will be organized and analyzed through the appropriate

statistical methods with the help of the research statistician.

c. Data Analysis Plan

The data of this study will be arranged from the collected responses of the

grade five pupils of Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School. The

researchers will use the complete enumeration sampling and will arrange it

through a frequency and percentage table to have a comprehensive

 presentation of the overall percentage of the grade five pupils, who know

about gender equality.

The researchers will use the same instrument to conduct the post-

assessment and will use the same method to gather and analyze the data

through a frequency and percentage table.

The researchers will use the pre-assessment responses and post-assessment

responses through a bar graph to see the result if the gender inclusive

learning materials promote gender equality among the grade five pupils of Sta.

Margarita I Central Elementary School.

V. ACTION RESEARCH WORK PLAN AND TIMELINES

a. Work Plan

The researchers will focus on the grade five pupils of Sta. Margarita I

Central Elementary School, Sta. Margarita I District, Sta. Margarita, Samar. The

initial process that the researchers will do is to ask permission through a letter of

request to the District In-charge of Sta. Margarita I District to conduct the study.

Then, the researchers will administer the questionnaire to the respondents of the

study in their most convenient time. After administering the questionnaires, the

researchers will thoroughly gather the data and will subject the data for tallying,

treatment and analysis. Finally, it will be interpreted using statistical tools for

analysis which will lead to the solution of the research problem.

b. Timeliness

Activity Objective Time Person Expected

 Frame Involved Outcome
Crafting of To craft Gender April- Researchers/ Gender Inclusive
Gender Inclusive Inclusive August, Writers Reading
Reading Reading 2023 and Master Materials
Materials Materials Teachers
Pre- assessment To assess the August, Researchers Result of the
percentage of the 2023 and the Assessment
grade five pupils Respondents
of Sta. Margarita
I CES who have
knowledge about
gender equality
Distribution and To distribute and August- Researchers, Grade five pupils
Utilization of the utilize the September, Grade five will be given
Reading reading materials 2023 Advisers opportunity to
Materials Grade 5 pupils read gender
inclusive
materials
Post- assessment To assess the September, Researchers Result of the
percentage of the 2023 and the Assessment
grade five pupils Respondents
of Sta. Margarita
I CES who have
knowledge about
gender equality
Interpretation of To interpret the September, Researchers Proposed
the Result data gathered 2023 projects and
Innovations

VI. COST ESTIMATES

a. Meals

Pre- Assessment Snacks @Php 50 x 150 (teacher, researcher, pupils)=Php7500.00

Post Assessment Snacks @Php 50 x 150 (teacher, researcher, pupils)=Php7500.00

b. Resources

Paper and Printing Cost = Php 2,000.00

Publishing and Reproduction = Php 5,000.00

c. Others
 Incidental Expenses = Php 5,000.00

Travel Expenses = Php. 3,000.00

GRAND TOTAL =Php 30,000.00

VII. PLANS FOR DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION

Primarily, in Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School, the information taken

from the output of this study will be disseminated to the teachers through the conduct of

School Learning Action Cell. The budget for dissemination will be taken from the

proposed budget to be approved by the division office. The purpose of this is to give light

to the teachers who are having a hard time in explaining gender equality to the learners.

The researchers will propose a write shop or gender inclusive story writing workshop,

possibly headed by the master teachers of the district.

Outside of Sta. Margarita I Central Elementary School, the researcher, with the

help of Samar Division LRMS Department will propose trainings, write shops and

seminars to create or craft gender inclusive learning materials which will be used by the

teachers in the field. The selection of the participants will be based upon the suggestion

of the LR personnel.

The published output of this research will be distributed to selected schools and a

copy will be given to Samar Division. This study will serve as a basis for further study or

will be a reference to similar research in literature.

VIII. REFERENCES

Blaise, M. (2009). “What a girl wants, what a girl needs”: Responding to sex, gender, and

sexuality in the early childhood classroom. Journal of Research in Childhood

Education, 23(4), 450-460. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568540909594673

Davies, B., & Saltmarsh, S. (2007). Gender economies: Literacy and the gendered

production of neoliberal subjectivities. Gender and Education, 19(1), 1-20.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09540250601087710

Staley, S., & Leonardi, B. (2016). Leaning in to discomfort: Preparing literacy teachers

for gender and sexual diversity. Research in the Teaching of English, 51(2), 209-

229.

Neimi, N (2016). “It’s not appropriate!” Sexual orientation in teacher preparation

curriculum. In A. Butler-Wall, K. Cosier, R. L. S. Harper, J. Sapp, J. Sokolower, M.

Bollow Tempel (Eds.), Rethinking Sexism, Gender, and Sexuality (pp. 416- 423).

Rethinking Schools

Cuzada, D., & Gutiertez, G. (2022). Toward inclusive learning: Integrating LGBTQ+

studies in basic Philippine education. https://thelasallian.com/2022/06/26/toward-

inclusive-learning-integrating-lgbtq-studies-in-basic-philippine-education/

Leung, Enoch & Whittaker, Julia Adams, Content Analysis of LGBTQ Picture Books for

Elementary Education Through an Intersectional Lens, Frontiers, December 28,

2021, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.769769/full